Surprise!
by RhapsodyInBlue
Summary: When Casey goes into Derek's room, she notices something...odd. Extremely odd. *DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE.* Enjoy!
1. This Time

"DER-_EK_!"

"JESUS, Case, don't sneak up on me like that! You're gonna give me a heart attack."

"What…what is this?"

"This? This is my room, Spacey. Mine. So why don't you just, you know, _leave_ MY room and go back into YOURS."

"What? That's not what I meant! I meant—what—what is _that_?"

"Well, well, well, Casey, did someone forget senior biology? Tsk tsk. Let me explain it to you…THIS is—"

"I know what it is Derek! That's not what I meant!"

"That's what you asked!"

"What—what is he doing here?"

"I brought it in here. You need to step it up Case, next thing you know you're gonna be asking whether the sky is blue or something."

"Der-_ek_! He is not an it!"

"Well, he is now, isn't he?"

"When—when did this happen?"

"About—half an hour ago?"

"DEREK! You can't keep doing this, do you not remember what happened last time?"

"I'm very well aware what happened, _Princess_, which is why I need you to help me. Grab his legs."

"What—NO! I refuse to be dragged into this again! Last time this happened, I found myself in the bottom of a dark smelly hole with—with—_that_ on top of me!"

"And I bet you liked it, didn't you? And besides, that wouldn't have happened if you had said something, oh I don't know, like 'Derek, I'm still down here in the hole, _don't start yet_!'"

"Be that as it may, I'm still not helping you. You're on your own for this one, Derek."

"Please?"

"No!"

"Pretty please?"

"No, no, a thousand times no!"

"I'll get you ice cream, Casey."

"…Ice cream?"

"Cookie dough ice cream. With extra cookie bits put in just for you. A whole tub of it, with an extra long spoon to get all—"

"You are such a jerk! I can't believe you thought you could buy my help with ice cream! Do you really think I'm that low"

"I—I-I'll watch—a—ugh, I can't believe I'm doing this—I'll—watch—a romcom—with you."

"…Really, Derek? You mean it? Honestly and truly mean it? Any romantic movie I want? And you won't run away when I start crying or anything?"

"Yes, yes, Casey, I will watch any romantic movie with you, with no escape from tears. Now will you please, for the love of all that is holy, grab his legs?"

"Fine, fine. But I'm not standing up for you if we…Ewww, Derek, he's all sticky!"

"Well, that's what happens when you bleed to death after being stabbed, now isn't it?"

"…Good point…"

"Thank you. Now can we get him in the truck now?"

"Okay…Hey Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we burying this guy?"


	2. The First Time: Part I

After much deliberation, I have decided to add to Surprise. I want to show how Casey and Derek started out on this journey to become mad mad serial killers. I'm trying out a different writing style, one that's based more on plot and action rather than thoughts, so please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE. also not mine on the original Surprise.

* * *

The dead leaves swirled under her feet as Casey MacDonald walked home from school. The sky was overcast, and seemed to hang heavy overhead. Casey shivered and pulled her coat tightly around her. She hated this kind of weather. Winter, she could deal with: the snow hid all the trees, and everything seemed beautiful and pure. Now, with dead branches hanging down like claws and everything feeling spooky? Nope.

Shivering again and heartily wishing she could move to Florida, Casey walked up the steps of her house. After struggling with her key (did they really have to make them so freaking small?) she opened the door and stepped inside…

…To find absolutely no one. The house was completely empty. Casey frowned. It was already after six- she could understand her mom or George being late for work, but Lizzie and Edwin? And Marti? Puzzled, Casey hung up her coat and ventured into the kitchen. There was no one there but an empty chips bag. Casey's eyes narrowed. _Derek._ She walked over to the phone, absent-mindedly picking up the chips bag and throwing it in the garbage. There was a message waiting for her. Casey pressed speakerphone, and her mother's vice filled the empty kitchen.

"Hi Casey and Derek-Lizzie and Edwin are staying late for a club meeting, and Marti's over at Dimi's. George and I should be back by nine-We're going out on a date!" Nora's voice rose excitedly, and Casey smiled. It had been ages since her mother and George had gone out, just the two of them, and her mother sounded so happy. "So-pizza numbers are in the usual spot, and try to get along with each other, please? Thanks guys...And we'll pick up Liz and Edwin, and Marti should come back at around seven-thirty, ok? Bye."

Casey hung up the phone, grimacing. She had no desire to spend an evening with Derek. Maybe he would have a date and just leave? She shook her head vehemently. No, decidedly not a date. She couldn't really deal with that—he'd come back in a high of post-coital bliss, insulting her own pathetic sex life. Her stomach hurt just thinking about it.

Suddenly, the front door opened. Casey whirled around to see her stepbrother Derek come sprinting into the hallway. He shut the door and leaned against it, panting. Casey marched over to him.

"Listen, Derek, Mom just called and we're on our own tonight, and I refuse to—Derek, are you all right?

She was right to ask. Derek looked nothing like the cool, calm and collected jock he usually was. He was white as a sheet, and his hands were visibly shaking. He looked at her, and Casey involuntarily took a step back. His eyes were dark and haunted, yet held a look of—was it happiness?

"Case—" He stopped and swallowed. "Casey-I need your help." His face twisted. "I can't believe I'm actually asking you for your help, but hey, miracles happen."

Casey was shocked. The great Derek Venturi actually asking outright for her help?

"What did you do, Derek? Did you hit a stop sign or something? Oh my God, you trashed the car, didn't you? And we're not supposed to bother Mom or George tonight, and now you've gone and destroyed it and they'll be so angry, and –"

"Casey, I just killed someone."

His words hit the air like a bomb. Casey's mouth dropped open and she staggered back. Derek ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard. Both teens stared at each other.

Casey was the first to break the silence. "You—you did what?" Her voice was hoarse and raspy.

"I just stabbed someone." Now that he had disclosed his secret, Derek seemed to recover. He stood up straighter and shook his head as if to clear it. "I just stabbed someone and I need your help, Casey. Can you give that to me?"

Casey made no motion to show she heard him. She merely stood, swaying like a leaf in the wind. Her eyes were wide and empty. In one swift motion, Derek moved to stand in front of her. He waved his hand in front of her face. "Hey, Case? You there?" No response. Derek reached out a finger and poked her in the shoulder. "Hey, Space Case, come back to earth."

The poke, coupled with the insult, seemed to bring Casey back to life. Her eyes shifted to Derek, and seemed to get bigger. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then, with a visible effort, she said, "You killed someone, and you want my help?"

"Yep, that pretty much covers it. I left it out by the old movie theater, and I need you to help—"

What Derek wanted Casey to do was lost. Casey was suddenly on top of him, sending him to the floor under a whirl of limbs. She was screaming at him, trying to hit as much flesh as she could find. Derek tried to fend her off, but to no avail.

"HE'S NOT AN IT! HE WAS A HUMAN BEING, DEREK, A _HUMAN BEING! _SOMEONE WHO LIVED AND LAUGHED AND LOVED AND YOU JUST DESTROYED EVERYTHING HE STOOD FOR! HE PROBABLY HAD A WIFE AND KIDS WHO LOVED HIM AND YOU —YOU—" And suddenly, she just stopped and sagged on top of him, sobbing uncontrollably and gasping for air. Derek shoved her off of him, and she lay on the floor shaking.

"Fine," he said, a little breathlessly. "Fine. I'll—I'll go deal with it myself. Never mind that there's a pretty good chance I'll get caught by the police. I don't need your help, Casey." He turned to the door, grabbing his leather jacket.

"-Derek."

It was small and painfully fragile, and he almost missed it. He stopped, but didn't turn around. The house was silent and waiting.

"What—what do you need me to do?"

* * *

Review please!

-Rhapsody


	3. The First Time: Part II

**Okay.  
This chapter was extremely hard for me to write. I'm not sure why, but I had a really hard time keeping both Casey and Derek in character while simultaneously trying to move the story along. So...I really don't know if this is any good. Please tell me what you think...**

**DISCLAIMER: do you really think, with the shit that I come up with, that I could possibly own this show? Please. I would get fired in the first two minutes due to too much Dasey sex in the script and scarring the small children who watch it.  
**

* * *

The car ride was eerily silent. Derek was driving, his hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel. Every so often he would sneak a glance at Casey, who was curled up in the passenger seat. Her eyes were wide and looking straight ahead, and she either didn't notice or ignored his glances. Neither spoke. Around them, the landscape changed from chic downtown London to an older, sleazier part of town. The streets were ominously empty, and the crumbling brownstones loomed over the small car as it sped by.

***

"We're here," Derek said. His voice sounded tremendously loud, and he involuntarily winced. Casey, not looking at him, immediately opened her door and got out, slamming the door behind her. Derek followed, cursing under his breath.

The movie theater had been abandoned for months, its owners giving up against the onslaught of poor attendance and rising production costs. Here and there the asphalt had cracked open, letting weeds through in a violent spray. The sign above them had already lost several letters. It was a lonely and forbidding place.

Casey quickly looked around, trying to see in the twisted foliage. She turned to Derek.

"Where is he?"

"Derek winced at her harsh tone. "Case—"

"_Where is he?"_

Derek sighed. It—HE'S over there. In that big green pile by the sign. But I'm warning you, Case—"

His warning was lost as Casey ran toward aid green pile. Her mind was empty; instead a steel cage was being wrapped around her emotions, making sure she would not cry. She reached the pile, looked over—

Her steel cage was ripped away. Emotions poured into her mind from all sides. She could not breathe. Everything came rushing in at her and she couldn't _see_ anymore and what had Derek done?

"Case!" Derek reached her, breathing lightly. "Come on, Case. Go-go back to the car, and get the big tarp you'll find in the trunk. Get that and some rope and—FUCK!" Casey had thrown up on his shoes. Swearing, he pulled her up. "Come on, Casey, pull yourself together!" She would not look at him. Her eyes were blank and empty, and her mouth slack. Derek took a deep breath. "Space Case, you are PATHETIC. You can't even deal with seeing a dead body. It's not even that bloody. Face it, Spacey-_I'm better than you at this_."

Casey's head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed and filled with anger. She stood up, ripping her arm out of Derek's grip. With one fluid motion, she turned and walked back to the car, her back ramrod straight. Smothering a chuckle, Derek turned to the sad bundle curled up in the weeds.

***

"This wasn't your first time, was it?"

Her voice was small but firm as they drove back. The actual job had not taken that much time—true to form, I-never-back-down-when-Derek-challenges-me Casey had not flinched, even when the dead man bled all over her shoes. She merely stopped, took a deep breath and continued tying him up in the tarp. Against his better judgment, Derek was impressed.

"What did you say?" He deliberately kept his voice light and he sped through the streets.

"You heard me, Derek. This wasn't your first time, was it? You've done this before." Her voice was accusing. The question filled the car and suffocated them both. Derek opened his mouth, then closed it again. Should he answer truly, and possibly alienate the only person he turned to? Or lie, have her find out and never help him again?

"No." His voice sounded tired. "No, it isn't."

Casey turned and looked at him. Her face was sad and wan. She opened her mouth, then closed it again and turned back to the window. Derek concentrated on the road.

***

"What happened, Derek?"

He did not need to turn around-only Casey would walk into his room and start talking without so much as a "hello." The house was silent; the rest of the family had gone to bed, confused over the silence between Casey and Derek, but not about to question it. Frankly, anything besides arguing was a good thing.

I was driving around," he said, staring at the computer mouse. "And I stopped in that movie theater, and he was there, just standing there-I think he was stoned-and he turned and looked at me and yelled something. I couldn't hear all the words. And then next thing I know I had the knife you keep in the glove compartment for emergencies in my hand, and I went over to him and—" Casey's sob interrupted him. He turned around and looked at her, the first time he had since they got back. She was deathly pale, and seemed much older than her eighteen years. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"You—you just stabbed him then?" She said. "For no reason whatsoever? Just because he yelled something at you?"

"Yes—no—I don't know Case!" Derek sighed. "I—I think I had the idea before he yelled anything." He didn't look at her, instead choosing to stare at the floor. "So I don't know why I did it, okay? I just did."

Casey did not respond. The two were silent, both staring at the floor as the clock ticked on.

* * *

Please review. Even flames, since I've never got them and they sound amusing. I have a thick skin, so tell me exactly what you think. Next and final part of The First Time to follow.


	4. The First Time: Part III

Et voila.

First of all, I just want to apologize profusely for taking so so long to update this. Life got in the way (as it always does) and strangely enough, when my romantic life is happy I don't have any motivation to write. Anything. Luckily, _that_ didn't last long, so here I am with the final segment of _The First Time_, which is part of _Surprise_! I'm not thrilled with the way this turned out (particularly the ending) but the damn thing just won't cooperate.

But enough about me. It's on with the show!

Disclaimer: Um, really? Reading this story, you think I own a children's television show that was shown the Disney Channel? Excuse me while I go and die laughing.

* * *

Three weeks.

Three whole fucking weeks.

Derek sighed and tightened his grip on the wheel of the Prince. He was diving home from school alone-again-and Casey was spending time at the library with Emily. _Again._ He understood the whole "my-stepbrother-is-a-killer-and-I-need-to-process" thing, and he was cool with it. But three weeks? Overkill. No pun intended. Casey needed to get herself together and get back on form-back to fighting with him, _talking_ with him, panicking over the slightest homework, and generally being her klutzy self. Not this-this _ghost_ of a girl that was barely ever home, and stayed holed up in her room when she was.

Sighing again, Derek pulled into the driveway. As he unlocked the door, Nora came to greet him, smiling nervously.

"No," he said flatly. "Whatever you want me to do, no."

"What makes you think I'm asking you to do something?" Nora asked, still smiling.

"Because you always smile like that when you want me to do something," he replied, putting his backpack down and shrugging off his jacket. Marti came running in from the kitchen and wrapped herself around Derek's legs.

"SmerekSmerekSmerekGuesswhat!!!"

"SmartiSmartiSmartiWhat?" Derek asked, momentarily distracted from Nora.

"Shhhh!" she said, looking around suspiciously. When Derek leaned down, she whispered, "Nothinn'... " Then, laughing maniacally, she ran back into the kitchen.

"That's what I want you to do," said Nora when Derek stood up again.

"You want me to do nothing? Great! Why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"No, Derek, I want you to take care of Marti! George and I are taking Edwin and Lizzie out to dinner and a movie, just the four of us. Please?" Nora pulled her face into arguably one of the best puppy-dog faces Derek had ever seen. It was times like these that he could (faintly) see how Casey was actually human.

"Fine Nora, out of the goodness of my heart I will take care of my little sister on a Friday night when I could be out on a date. Happy?"

At his acquiescence, Nora smiled lovingly up at him. "Thanks, Derek. Now, Casey should be home by nine-thirty from Emily's, so only order enough pizza for you and Marti. The rest of us should be home sometime around ten. Okay?" At his nod, she moved closer to the door. "And Derek? Could you and Casey possibly make up whatever fight has you both in a stew? It's been three weeks without you talking and—well, I never though I'd say this, but I miss your bickering compared to-to whatever this is. So could you? Please?" And with that, she was gone.

***

Derek was sitting on the couch watching TV when Casey came home. She looked over at him, and he was shocked to see how thin she had become. It looked like she had lost at least five pounds. She asked quietly, "Is Marti asleep?"

"Yeah," he answered, just as quietly. The house ticked and settled around them while they remained motionless, lit by the sickly glow from the television.

In one swift movement, she grabbed the remote from its resting place on the edge of Derek's recliner and turned off the TV.

"What the--"

"You're going to talk to me, Derek Venturi," she hissed in the blackness. "You're going to explain why you kill-why you _killed_ that man in the movie theater parking lot three days ago, and why you started this in the first place, and god _dammit_, Derek, you're going to explain to me who you really are!!"

Derek froze. Her face was close to his-close enough that he could feel her breath. He slumped back into the chair. "Do you really want to know?" he whispered. The air was tight, and Derek suddenly couldn't breathe.

"Yes!" She moved to the edge of the couch. "I want and need to know Derek!"

"Fine," he said. His voice sound strange and dead to his ears. "I'll tell you."

So he talked. He explained that yes, he had done it before—to this little old lady who constantly yelled at Marti and made her cry every time she went by. He had gotten so angry, so upset at the sight of his baby sister crying, that he had just--_snapped_—and pushed the old woman over one day when she was walking down the street. She had hit her head on the edge of the curb and was killed instantly. How the sight of her old broken body lying on the sidewalk had filled him with a sense of perverse happiness and joy that filled him like a balloon that had been left on the helium spigot—

"So you killed a little old lady who had been teasing Marti?" whispered Casey from the dark mass of the couch. "Why didn't you just talk to her?"

"Dad tried," said Derek. She said that Marti was the spawn of the Devil because she used to run around naked in our yard. She was only two and—just seeing her crying—" He stopped. "Just-just let me finish, alright? I'll answer any questions at the end, just-let me finish this."

"Okay."

So he talked. He explained how the police came and questioned everybody, but he had never told them anything. (Lord of the Lies indeed.) And how, after the old woman was buried in the cemetery and everyone was slowly forgetting her, he would remember how he felt when he knew she was dead and feel it all over again, the joy bubbling up out of him, the feeling of immense power over the woman in front of him. He started searching out the parks, looking for ways to feel that same joy and power all over again. He explained how animals never worked—he'd just see how cute they were, how much they reminded him of Marti, and he would let them go. (He rarely caught them anyway, but Casey didn't need to know that.) So he began looking for people. People who wouldn't be missed. His hockey skills came into good use. He began to get better at hiding, lying about where he was going, how to cover his tracks. It got even better when he could drive (thank you, Casey) and could move his circle farther out, into old neighborhoods and—

The clank of the water heater stopped his speech. He had talked for nearly twenty minutes straight- Nora, George, Edwin and Lizzie would be home soon. Neither teen spoke. Derek listened to the house and tried to hear Marti upstairs.

"So," Casey said. Derek's attention flicked back to her. "You killed this woman for a good reason, and now you just do it for the rush?"

Derek was suddenly very glad it was dark. "I guess so," he muttered. It sounded so _stupid_ when she said it like that, so-_cliche_.

"I see. That's wrong, Derek, that's really wrong, and disturbing and—" she stopped and took a shaky breath. "And I can't stop you from doing it, can I?"

"No. No you can't."

"I see," she said again. The dark mass on the couch shifted. "Well, if I can't stop you, I can at least make sure—" She stopped again. "I can at least make sure you don't get hurt. I may think it's wrong, Derek, and I may say I hate you and that you're a pig, which you are, but you're my stepbrother, and I don't want you to get hurt or taken away. Marti couldn't deal, and—I don't think I could either," she finished in a very small voice.

Derek shifted uncomfortably on the recliner. The dark mass moved off the couch and became a Casey in front of him. "Just don't do anything stupid, okay?" she asked, then suddenly threw her arms around him.

Derek struggled valiantly. "Casey, get _off_! You know my policy!"

"I don't care!" she whisper-yelled into his ear. "I'm hugging you whether you like it or not! Now hug me back, idiot!"

His arms slowly moved around her back and held her loosely. They stayed there until George and Nora slammed open the back door, laughing loudly as Edwin and Lizzie slipped in behind them.

"Derek! Casey!" Nora exclaimed, turning on the lights. Casey stood up immediately, turning pink. Why are you in here?…With the…lights…off?"

"Um…We…were…" Casey was obviously grasping at straws. Derek decided he needed to step in.

"We were looking for Spacey's earring, guys," he said, standing up and thanking God for cell phones. "She dropped one like the klutz she is and I, out of the goodness of my heart, agreed to look for it." Out of the corner of his eye he saw Casey discreetly take out her left earring. Good girl. "If you use a phone or a flashlight with the lights off, you can see the glint better."

"Really?" George sounded intrigued. "I didn't know that." Nora hit him in the arm. "What? I didn't!"

"Is everything all right, you two?" she said, leading George over to the basement.

"Yeah," Casey said softly. She smiled at Derek. "I think everything's going to be okay."

* * *

Well, then. Please review. I'm thinking of possibly adding on (a showing of "last time" as referred to in the first chapter of this monstrosity), but I'm probably not going to unless there's a lot of push. I hope you enjoyed this series, and stay classy San Diego! (Actually, stay classy wherever you live.)

-Rhapsody


End file.
